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Monday, June 28, 2010

Najib Abdul Razak proven liar again? - sport gambling license

Yes, if what was reported by Malaysian Insider in Vincent Tan blames illegal bookies, Pakatan for licence snub. If true, not just Najib but also the Treasury and the Finance Ministry too had lied for they had said in Parliament too that "“The government has yet to issue a license to Ascot Sports Sdn Bhd for bookie operation in Malaysia. The government has also not concluded discussions on the terms and conditions for licensing to Ascot Sports for bookie operations in Malaysia,” the ministry said in a written reply. Source: Najib insists no licence issued to Ascot Sports.

Najib had claimed that no approval to Ascot Sports Sdn Bhd. However, he had been reported not once but twice that no approval had been given:

Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, in a written reply to questions from four MPs in the Dewan Rakyat, said the government has yet to conclude its discussions and terms concerning the legalisation of sports betting. Source: Bursa Malaysia to probe sports betting permit issue

Tan (picture) said this at a luncheon with about 40 gaming analysts, where he was also said to have shown them a Finance Ministry letter dated Jan 13, 2010 that gave him conditional approval for the licence.

However, sources who saw the letter said the conditions made no mention of the government having to first gauge public support and that they had essentially been fulfilled.

A Berjaya Corp press statement released earlier today said the company was extremely disappointed at the government’s decision not to re-issue the licence “despite having granted its approval for the re-issuance of the same” — a phrase which was underlined for emphasis.

Berjaya Corp reported that the government had last month re-issued the licence to Tan-owned Ascot Sports Sdn Bhd after the original licence was cancelled by the previous Abdullah administration.

The licence itself is said to be worth RM10 million, an amount which was refunded to Tan following the government’s capitulation to public opinion on Friday.